The Group 1 $500,000 Surround Stakes (1400m) back at Royal Randwick on February 29 looks the ideal next assignment for impressive Light Fingers Stakes 2020 winner Flit who flew home fresh with the blinkers on.

Flit scored a big upset flying home with the blinkers on in the 2020 Light Fingers Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart.

Leading an all-Godolphin trifecta in this year’s Group 2 $200,000 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) on Apollo Stakes Day, the James Cummings-trained Group 1 winning filly Flit was ultra-impressive first-up for the autumn over a distance less than her preferred.

Winner of the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) over the mile as a juvenile in Melbourne last October, the daughter of Medgalia D’Oro was last seen finishing fourth when stretched out to 2000m in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes.

Jockey Hugh Bowman convinced Cummings that over the 1200m in her autumn kick-off Flit would be best suited with blinkers.

It proved the winning move as she beat home fellow Godolphin Group 1 winners Lyre (2^nd) and Kiamichi (3^rd) with the Royal Blue army dominating the Light Fingers Stakes results.

“Look the blinkers were on, she drew the inside gate and Hugh had her smoking there behind the speed,” winning trainer Cummings said post-race.

“There’s a lot of promise about the autumn with this filly. What you saw is what you got there today.

“With them on she was able to apply herself and show exactly the short of promise that we’ve been getting form her over the past 12 months.”

Flit ($12) with the blinkers on for the first time blew away her rivals travelling on top of the hot speed set by her Golden Slipper Stakes winning stablemate Kiamichi ($11), Bowman settling the eventual winner right up on the pace.

She showed off her strength having raced a handy third throughout before coming off to challenge once on the straight, laying it down at the 200m to take the lead and charge home to beat the Blue Diamond winning Lyre ($6) who was also great in her return for trainer Anthony Freedman.

“She was (explosive today),” Bowman said.

“She’s always shown that though, the blinkers certainly helped at this distance.

“She’s proven at a mile so for her to perform over 1200m, like she did this afternoon, is very encouraging.

“She’s got a good preparation ahead of her.”

The disappointment of the race was the beaten odds-on favourite, the Anthony Cummings-trained Libertini ($1.80) only managing to cross three lengths back fourth.

Cummings confirmed the 2020 Surround Stakes was next on the agenda for Flit who is out to complete the same double Nakeeta Jane (2019) achieved last season.

“I dare say she’s going to be the filly to beat in two weeks’ time,” Cummings said.

The futures Surround Stakes 2020 betting price on Flit to win has firmed from $4.60 into $3.80.

“The Surround’s been elevated to a Group 1 in recent years,” Bowman added.

“She’s going to be very well placed in that.”

Lyre is the other notable market mover for the Surround Stakes rematch wound in from $17 to $12.

Click here for the latest all-in 2020 Surround Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Light Fingers Stakes Results & Finishing Order